Partner Reading Center- Sneak Peek {and a freebie rewind!}

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time in my room and got SO much done!  Final room reveal pics are coming soon but I HAD to share a picture of my partner reading center.

I had one of these when I taught my 1st/2nd split class but, since moving schools and changing to 3rd, I didn't have space in my room for one.  BUT, I just switched classrooms and was able to make a space!

I love partner reading but I think it's easy for students to get off task without materials that help guide their reading and discussion.  These materials do exactly that.  My partner reading area has tasks for students to complete while reading (see #1) to help guide and give purpose to their discussion, explicitly posted expectations (#2), and even books that are specifically designed for 2 students to read together (#3)!

Check it out...

So... here's what's at my partner reading table...

1- this caddy has everything from my "Partner Reading Party" pack in it... comprehension spinners, retelling cards, and fluency reading helpers.  It also has Hot Dots comprehension stories.  This is something new that I think my kiddos will adore!

2- I printed this sign on Vistaprint years ago!  I was so excited to pull it back out and put it up at my area!

3- Loads of books that are perfect for partners to read together...

My kiddos LOVE the "You Read to Me, I'll Read to You" books...

These are so so so fun too... silly song books like this one!  Kids "sing" poems to the tune of well-known songs!

And we LOVE LOVE LOVE "Choose your own adventure" books!

And there are quite a few poetry books like this one that have poems for two voices...

4- Crate seats!  I made these a few summers ago.  This summer I re-covered the boards and stuck some dryer sheets under the fabric.  I store all kinds of goodies in these crates.  One of these has craft supplies and my kiddos love using them to do projects during our free choice activities!

I'm sure my 3rd graders are going to LOVE having this designated area to go to and read with a partner.  The past three years, I've just had the caddy and the book basket available to them but no specific place to go to read.  I think having a sacred space will encourage them to partner read with accountability!  Of course, they can always gather materials and go sit somewhere else to read... but I think they'll love being at this table!

So... you should set up a partner reading area in your room!  To help, I'm going to leave my "Partner Reading Party" on sale for $1 off until Monday.  It's a great pack with loads of engaging activities!

Check them out...

And now for the FREEBIE rewind!

This would be an EXCELLENT way to start out a partner reading area... especially to help guide students as they discuss the books they are reading together.

This is called Flip It! and it's a way to help students structure responses to questions by including the question in the answer.  I have shared this before, so it might look familiar, but I thought it would be a great rewind for a post like this one!

Check it out on TpT and snag it for free!  Please leave feedback if you enjoy it!

How do you encourage accountability during partner reading?  Share your ideas in the comments!

Partner Reading Party Pack Fast, Fast Giveaway!

Happy Tuesday!

My printer has been out of ink for days and I'm going crazy waiting for it to be delivered... I have to much to print and laminate!!!!

Last night I revised a pack of activities to update graphics and fonts so now I have even more to print and laminate!

I've been using this set in my classroom for a while, but am absolutely *in LOVE* with how it turned out after my re-design...

Find it on TpT     or     Teacher's Notebook

It's a Partner Reading Party!  This pack had 5 spinners to help facilitate discussion between students, Somebody-wanted-but-so reminder cards, Roll 'n Read activity to find out how partners will read, Fiction Go Fish game and directions to turn that game into a memory game, and signs for a partner reading area & expectations for that time.

I am *SO* excited about this pack!!!!!!!  Since it's up the day after the big TpT sale, I've discounted the price 20% for today!

So, I'll send a copy to the first 2 people to comment and promise to blog about this after they've had time to look it over... I love it!

Don't forget about the Brag Tag giveaway going on over here either... I'll announce the 3 winners of 35 custom tags and chains on Friday!

Pictures of "Read to Someone" table

Oh teachers... you know how we are... there is furniture that is up-for-grabs and we can't be rational about our lack of space. Some primitive part of our brains (or at least mine, anyway!) takes over and the only thing that can quiet it is me... getting that furniture!

Well, that is what happened last week when a trapezoid shaped table became available. I had to have it! So, I snatched it up and put it up against the back of a bookshelf. Then, lightning struck and I knew what I would use it for... a sacred place for partners to read together!

So, I put out my "reading comprehension" box from Lakeshore Learning which has great activities for reinforcing skills like cause and effect, author's purpose, predictions, and sequencing. I also added basket #30 from my library which is full of great books for partners to read together like "I Read To You, You Read To Me", lots of books from "We Both Read", and some "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.

I also have a set of comprehension wands from Lakeshore Learning so I put those in a basket (frillied up with ribbons, of course!) with the plastic eggs for the comprehension activity I shared yesterday.

And here's the "whole view"... you can even see my sign from Vista Print hanging above the table!


I think my kiddos will enjoy coming to sit at this quiet spot to do "Read to Someone"... I'm hoping they will love digging deeper into each others' comprehension!

Please tell me I'm not the only classroom furniture hoarder out there?!

Some exciting news and a comprehension freebie!

I have joined up with the awesome teachers at Me and My Gang and will be doing some blogging over there too! I am so excited to be able to collaborate with even more teachers! :)

Grab the button so you can keep up with "the gang!"


Now for the comprehension freebie...

I was cleaning out my classroom and found some yellow plastic Easter eggs. Just as I was walking to put them in my "free pile", I thought maybe I should hang on to them... and an idea for my soon-to-be partner reading station was born!

I made slips with comprehension questions that I plan to laminate and put inside the eggs which will be inside a basket at the table. When kids do "read to someone" during Daily Five, they can choose to sit at the table (on a first come, first serve basis) and when they check their partner's understanding, they can do it by choosing an egg if they wish! I also have some run comprehension "wands", so they could choose that too!

Some of these questions will have to wait to be put out as they deal with comprehension skills that I will be introducing... and this will take lots of modeling... but I know it will be super fun for them!

Here's the file! You know how much I love your comments (hint, hint)! :)
I hope to find the perfect basket this weekend and then take pics of my new partner reading table (with my new sign from Vista Print that I'm going to hang from the ceiling!) after I go in on Monday!